Life After The Games
by infinitie-2
Summary: Hey guys! So this after the 74th Hunger Games. In this version Cato is the Victor. This fanfic is about Clove's feisty little sister, Phoenix. Cato was not reaped into the third Quarter Quell, in which the tributes were reaped from the existing pool of victors. Clove's parents had died before she went to the games, and she lived alone with Phoenix. Now Phoenix lives with Cato.
1. Meet Phoenix

** This story begins 2 months before the reaping of the 76th Hunger Games. **

**Phoenix's POV **

"Phoenix, get up! Time for training!" I hear Cato calling me from downstairs. It's 6:00 AM. I don't even bother to complain about training anymore. It's not like it'll get me anywhere. I roll out of bed. Then put on some tight black pants and a loose fitting purple crop top. I brush my thick brown hair back into a high ponytail, and run downstairs where Cato is waiting for me.

"There you are Phoenix. Better get going to training. Raven will kill you if your late again." Cato remarks.

"That doesn't sound so bad." I retort back.

"Hey. What's with the little attitude there, Phoenix?" Cato asks. As if he doesn't know.

"Are you seriously asking me that question? The reaping is coming up and they'll be showing clips previous games. I don't need to see my sister die again, okay?" I raise my voice.

"Trust me, I don't either." Cato pauses for a moment "I could have saved her." He says looking down towards the floor.

"Well then why didn't you?!" I'm yelling at him I'm now and I'm on the verge of crying.

"I wasn't fast enough." Cato says as a tear rolls down his cheek. "They might not even show her on the clips this year." Cato adds. How damn stupid could he be?

"Well she's from our district isn't she? Of course they'll show her!" I yell. "I'm going to training!" I run outside and slam the door behind me. I don't have time to control myself before the tears come. First one. Then a river of tears is rolling off my face. "WHY?!" I'm screaming to no one. "Why did Clove have to die? Why not me? I had nothing to live for! She did! She had Cato!" I yell out, but no one is awake to listen. I run out onto the street, and collapse for a few minutes, letting the tears take me over. After a little while, I pull myself up and run all the way to the training center.

**Cato's POV**

I just don't get how Clove ever communicated with her. Maybe it was because they're almost exactly the same. They have the same long, dark hair. Same light brown eyes. Same feisty attitude and they're both good with knives. Clove. I loved her so much, and now memories are all I have left of her. Phoenix is the closest I can get to her now.

I should have been more gentle when I was talking to her earlier. She's so delicate. I keep forgetting that she's only 12. Clove loved her so much. She tried to win for Phoenix, and she could have, but I didn't save her. I feel a tear forming in my eye. I don't even try to wipe it away. Nobody's around anyway. I think about Clove, and how I could have saved her. It was all my fault, and I'm going to hell for it.

If I could help it, they wouldn't show the clip of Clove dying. Not only for me, but for Phoenix, too. Although Phoenix is feisty, tough, and a bit creepy at some times, she can't help but start crying whenever someone even mentions her sister. I don't blame her. I'm like that too. Clove was my best friend since I can remember. We met at training one day when I was about eight. She was only seven. I remember how she was standing at the array of throwing knives. She had her hair pulled back into two French braids. She picked up a small silver knife and threw it at the target perfectly. Even when she was young, she could throw knives like a bitch. Instantly, I fell in love with her. She walked back to the knife display and chose a slightly smaller silver knife. I walked up behind her and stood there. I was at least four inches taller than her then. "Hi. I'm-" I had started to introduce myself to the most beautiful and talented girl I had ever met. She spun around, knife in hand and interrupted me.

"I know who you are." She said twisting the knife in her small, dainty hand. She never looked up at me, but down at her knife. This was the first thing Clove had ever said to me.

"Then who am I?" I had asked her accusingly. I was very confused on how this hot girl knew me.

"You're Cato Hadley." She said flatly. She knew me. The most beautiful girl I have ever met knew me.

"And you are...?" I ask her, interested to get to know her.

"Clove Kentwell." she said, finally looking up at me. Her brown eyes met my eyes.

"So..." I paused, not sure what to say. "You wanna train with me sometime?" I ask her. I was determined to keep in touch with her.

"I have to go right now, but I can meet you tomorrow morning at 6:00, if that's okay with you." She was looking at me with a half-hearted smirk.

"Deal." I say, and she ran off.

I snap back into reality, with the fact that she is dead. I turn around to look at the picture of Clove I have above the fireplace. Damn, I miss her so much. I wish she could be alive right now. I'm the one who should be dead. A tear streams down my cheek, and I don't stop it. Soon, I'm laying on the kitchen floor crying and calling out for Clove to come back to me. But of course, she never does. She's long gone. I will never be able to accept that fact, and I will never be able to forgive myself because her death was all my fault.


	2. A Day At Training

**Phoenix's POV**

I slowly walk inside, and look around to see who might be looking at me. I see my best friend Silver climbing the rock wall. I walk to her with tears still in my eyes and red stains on my face from the tears.

"Phoenix, what's wrong?" she asks in a comforting voice.

"Cato was being a bitch this morning." I mutter to her.

"A hot bitch, then." Silver remarks. She's in love with Cato. "Now seriously, Phoenix. What's wrong?"

"It was Clove. Cato tries to make me feel better by talking about her, but he need to realize that that won't make me feel any better. I miss her so much." I say. I'm about to start crying again.

"Well, I don't blame you. She was a good big sister, but at least you have Cato. He may not be your sister, but at least you have someone." she says trying to cheer me up.

"I guess your right. I mean he was Clove's best friend... or boyfriend... or whatever he was, he was special to Clove." I say suddenly realizing I should have been a bit nicer to Cato this morning.

My trainer, Raven, calls me over to start. I slowly walk over, hoping he doesn't notice I've been crying. But of course, he does.

"What's with the teary eyes?" he asks, and I roll my eyes at him.

"Oh my god. It's nothing." I say starting to get annoyed.

"It doesn't look like nothing, Phoenix. What's wrong." he asks as he looks like he actually cares

"Cato and I were talking about Clove, and I got sad, okay." I say raising my voice.

"Your sister never gave up." he says, thinking that will get me going

"Well, I guess we should start" I say, because I need to throw a knife or something to release my anger.

"ok" Raven says. He still doesn't get me. No one will ever get me. Clove was the only one who did, and she's gone.

I train for three hours with Raven. Then I stay after some to throw knives. When I finally get home, it's about 5 pm. I walk inside and see Cato laying on the floor crying.

"Cato what are you doing?" I ask in a slightly bratty tone.

"I-I" Cato hesitates. I motion for him to continue talking. "Oh, I cant lie. I miss her. I miss the fun times we had. I miss the times where I would kiss her, and she wouldn't back away. I miss the times where she wanted to kill me. I miss her loving me." he says while crying his eyes out on the floor.

"Cato, I miss her like hell. Not a day goes by that I don't cry about how I miss her." I say to him.

"Then, how do you not look like you're about to fall apart." he asks.

"You learn to hide it when your like me." I say in a soft voice remembering how Clove used to tell me that about mom and dad.

"You'r one strong girl. Clove would be so proud." Cato says, calming down.

I help Cato make supper every night, but tonight, he said he said we could go out to dinner. So, we go out to eat at our favorite restraunt, a pizza place down the road. After supper I take a shower and get ready for bed. When I wake up, I will repeat the same routine over again.


	3. Good Morning

**Day Before The Reaping**

**Phoenix's POV**

"Phoenix! Get up!" Cato calls from downstairs. Just another day, except it's not. The reaping is tomorrow, which means we have to train extra hours today. There are slim chances of me going to the games for two reasons. First of all, I live with Cato, a victor, so I don't need to apply for tessarae by any strech. We've got more food and money than we need. Second of all, there are so many people who want to voulenteer to know that if you get reaped, you're not going into the games.

I slowly roll out of bed, and walk over to my closet. I pull back a few outfits and see Clove's old training outfit. Just seeing it makes me teary on the spot. Two years ago today, Clove was training for the games thinking the same thing as me: that she wouldn't go into the games. The next day, on reaping day, she got reaped, but a suprising thing happened. Nobody voulenteered. This left Clove, only 16, to go fight to the death in an arena full of tributes. when the boy's name was called, Cato voulenteered. He wanted to protect Clove.

I was the only one there to say goodbye to her. When I did though, I made her promise that she would try to win. And she did. But some promises have to be broken, because that was the last time I ever saw my sister. I had to see her brutally murdered on live t.v. The boy from 11 beat her head with a rock until it cracked her skull. She called for Cato, but it was too late. When he got there, she was already gone. Thresh. Cato killed him for what he did to Clove. I hate district 11.

I decide to wear Clove's old training outfit today. It's a pretty skimpy outfit. Just some short, black spandex shorts and a bright blue sports bra. To top off the look, I pull my hair back to look exactaly how Clove had it in her training at the Capitol, except, i add my own special touch. I grab Clove's training knife and slip it into the back of my ponytail. Perfect.

I run downstairs to meet Cato. He's making waffles.

"Good morning, Cato" I say. He looks up and starts to say good morning back, but all that comes out is "Good" he looks at me in a daze. Then he comes to his senses.

"That's Clove's old training outfit, isn't it?" he says in the voice that is choked up, but trying to sound normal. He only uses this vice when he talks about Clove.

"Yes" I say, sounding short. I don't mean to sound so short, but I can't afford to cry today. At least not until night fall, when they'll show the deaths of the past district 2 tributes. Then, Cato and I can cry about Clove together, and alone.

"And the hair, Clove wore it just like that in the training center at the Capitol." he looks like he is going to cry, but he pulls himself back and says "You look just like her."

"That's what I was aiming for." I say, holding on to my emotions.

"So are ready to train? You've got until night fall. Even though your name won't be drawn. And if it is someone will volunteer." he says

"Well, nobody volunteered for Clove!" I yell at him.

"You're only 12, Phoenix. Why the hell would no one volunteer?"

"I don't know." I mutter. He's right. "I should get going to training." I say. As I'm almost out the door, Cato stops me.

"Make them remember what they did to Clove." He calls. I turn around. And give him the little smirk that Clove always wore, and for once, he smiled back.


	4. Training With Silver

**Phoenix's POV**

When I walk into the training center, I feel just about every single set of eyes fall on me. I know what they're thinking. They see me just how Cato did this morning. They all see Clove in me. I give them Clove's signature half-hearted, sarcastic smirk. Now they definitely see Clove through me.

Silver walks over to me. I can't tell if she's about to cry because of Clove or because she is nervous about the reaping tomorrow. Probably because of the reaping. I mean, she loved Clove, but she would completely fawn over Cato. Plus, this is her first reaping, too.

"You wanna come over tonight to watch the Hunger Games introduction?" I ask Silver. I know she'll want to come. Cato will be there. Plus, I could use some help to comfort me when they show Clove. Cato will probably need just as much comforting as I will. I don't really know how to comfort people, especially Cato, but Silver will do anything to get anywhere close to Cato.

"Ok sounds good" says Silver in a quick reaction, but a bit too eager.

"Ok be there a 6:30" I say knowing she will be there at 6:00.

We walk over to the knife throwing station so we can start. I pick up the knife and throw it perfectly. Then Silver throws one. Not exactly on point. She is pretty good with a knife, but not as good as me. Everybody knows that I'm the best knife thrower in District 2, now that Clove is dead. Of course, Silver ends up with a sword. That was Cato's top weapon. We touch up on survival skills, too.

Lastly, we start our two hour speed and agility class. It's twice as hard today. The trainer is so damn stupid. I would love to slit his throat with my knife. Silver and I call him the wicked bitch of the west. It's a good name for him. I decide to train hard tonight. I mean, it's my last one for another year.

After speed and agility, we are free to go home, but I stay all day until 5:00 o'clock. It's just a better choice to have something to do to keep your mind off of tonight. I throw some knives. I try a sword, but I don't like it. Especially not as much as my knives. I learned what foods to eat, and what not to eat.

Then, when I'm about to head home, somebody calls me. I turn around to see Raven. He hugs me. "You look just like Clove." He says softly.

"Thank you" I say back. Then I head out the door and head home to get ready for tonight.


	5. The Reaping

**Reaping Day**

**Phoenix POV**

I didn't get any sleep last night. I was up just thinking about Clove. How last year, she was chosen, and thinking she could win. But she didn't. She's long gone. Why worry any more?

I climb out of bed, and look through my closet to find Clove's reaping outfit. It's a short navy blue dress made of silk. It has matching silver shoes, flats, with little bows. I curl my hair and leave it down. This is exactly how Clove looked on Reaping Day last year. We look so similar that I'm sure to fool someone. That will probably be Cato. He got drunk last night after seeing Clove die. Silver was worried sick. Of course she was, and Cato probably has a hangover this morning.

I walk downstairs slowly, and careful not to startle Cato who is probably already worked up about today. As I walk into the kitchen, I see Cato sitting at the table, face in hands. He must have heard me coming, because he looks up at me and lets out a small gasp.

"Clove?" Cato asks in the quietest voice I've ever heard from him.

"Just Phoenix," I respond.

"What are you doing, Phoenix? Why do you look like Clove?" He seemed mad at me even though I did absolutely nothing.

"Because I want to look like Clove." I answer shortly. He questions me so much. I just don't get him sometimes.

"I thought Clove was here." he says. He looks like he's about to cry.

"Um no, Cato. Just me." I say. He's really starting to annoy me right now. "Tell me how in the world could Clove be here right now. She's dead, Cato. DEAD!" I'm yelling now. This happens about every other day. He talks about Clove, starts crying, and I yell at him. "And let me remind you that it's all your fault that she's dead." I add with a smirk.

"Okay. Yeah, I know it is, but you don't need to say it out loud for the millionth time!" Oh good lord. He's sitting down at the table now and crying his eyes out. He can be such a baby sometimes.

"Um... You say it yourself almost every day, so I'm so very sorry if my reminding of what you say EVERY DAY is a problem!" I'm getting really mad at him right now.

"Well it's not a good time right now. You know to mention how Clove's death is all my fault." He says this all between sobs.

"And why is that?"

"Because two years ago today she should have been safe and sound and at home. Not about to go to the capitol to compete in the Hunger Games." He's laying down and sobbing now, trying to catch his breath. He honestly looks like a child who just lost their favorite toy.

"Oh man up!" I say. "I thought you were Cato, not Peeta!" And just like that, he shut right up. "Go get dressed. Wash you face. You wouldn't want all of District 2 to see you've been crying." I command him around like I'm his mother sometimes, but it's what I have to do. It's what Clove would do. And it's the only thing that keeps him sober.

When Cato comes back downstairs, he actually looks presentable. He's wearing khaki pants, a white shirt, and a navy tie that matches my dress. We walk out the door and to the square. It's already crowded with people. They take a little blood, and then, I go to the front of the crowd with the other 12 year old girls. Just then, I see a blue and green blob of I don't know what. So much make up that it looks inhuman. Aurelia Linton has arrived. She's the District 2 escort from the Capitol. Aurelia comes to the microphone in the middle of the stage.

"Welcome! Welcome!" She says in her annoying Capitol accent. "Before we begin, we have a short video to share all the way from the capitol!" It's the same stupid video every year. It's about the rebellion, the splitting of North America into 12 Districts and a Capitol, and the pageant that we call The Hunger Games.

"The time has come to choose one courageous young man and woman to represent District 2 in the 76th annual Hunger Games!" She pipes.

**Cato POV**

In District 2, they choose the male tribute first, so I don't have to worry right now. Aurelia walks over to a large glass ball and dips her hand into it. She pulls out a small white piece of paper, and carefully unfolds it.

"Slate Oreta!" She announces.

Then there's the race to the stage. About 20 or 30 boys sprint to the stage pushing each other out of the way. A boy with sandy blond hair and green eyes who appears to be about 15 years old makes it to the stage first.

"I volunteer as tribute!" He states.

"What's your name dear?" Aurelia asks.

"Ryker Mason!"

"Congratulations!" Aurelia tells him "Now for the girls!"

So much is running through my head right now. If Phoenix is reaped, which there is a very slim chance of, someone will have to volunteer. There's a crowd of people who rush to the stage when a name is called, all trying to be first so they can volunteer. But then there's also the chance that Phoenix could be reaped, and nobody would volunteer. That's what happened to Clove.

Aurelia dips her hand into the large glass bowl. Phoenix's name is on one of those slips. She picks up a slip of paper and carefully unfolds it. I take a deep breath in. It's so quiet, you could her a pin drop. I can see various girls getting ready to run to the stage to be the first one to volunteer.

"Lana Rolmer!" Aurelia announces into the microphone. I put my face in my hands, and let out a huge breath. I don't even care who makes it to the stage first. Phoenix is safe and that's all that matters to me right now.

"I volunteer as tribute!" I don't even look up. I'm still so happy that Phoenix is safe.

"What's your name, dear?" Aurelia asks. I still keep my face in my hands, because I don't even care who it is.

"My name is Phoenix Kentwell!"

My mouth drops.


	6. The Goodbye

**Wow, ok that took forever for Paige to wright! i am so sorry but here it is a little short but its something have the next chapter out as soon as possible. -****Rachel and Paige **

**Cato's POV**

My head is spinning. Phoenix! She volunteered?! What was she thinking?! She's 12! The only thing left in the world that matters to me, and now she's going to go die in the arena just like Clove! What is wrong with her?!

People look over at me. They're wondering what she's going to do. Or what I'm going to do.

To everyone's surprise, and to my own surprise, I don't do anything. Or more specifically, I can't do anything. Except stand there. Oh my god! Phoenix! Why did she do that?

I watch Aurellia finish up her speech, and then, Phoenix shakes hands with Ryker. After that, she disappears behind the doors of the Justice Building. In about an hour, I will be able to talk to her, and knowing her, and myself, there won't be any talking, just yelling.

When I go to see her, nobody else is there. I'm the only one who has come to say goodbye. I'm her family since Clove and her parents are gone. I take a deep breath in and quietly slide the door open, but once I step in, there's nothing quite about it.

"What the hell did you just do Phoenix?!" I yell

"I did what was needed," she says flatly.

"I've lost Clove, and now I'm going to lose you, because you were stupid enough to voluenteer to go die in an arena of god knows what!"

"Oh! So you don't think I can win?! I'm just automatically going to die, because I'm the youngest person in there?!" She spits back.

"Who knows who there gonna put in the arena this year! I'm just not getting my hopes up, because you know what happens when you get your hopes up?!" I yell, tears welling in my eyes. "People die! Like Clove did!"

"And I'm going in there to win for my sister, Cato!"

"You could have at least told me!"

"Well I didn't, because I knew you would stop me!"

"Yes, I would have, because I love you, Phoenix."

"Time's up!" A peacekeeper says, and drags me out the door.

"Phoenix!" I yell as I leave. "For Clove!"

And like that, in a matter of seconds, I know that was probably the last thing I will ever say to my dear Phoenix Kentwell.


	7. I Will Win

**Phoenix POV**

Aurelia guides us onto the Capitol train. Ryker glances over at me stone faced. "Stop looking at me!" I spat. He looked away. I don't think I like Ryker too much. Something about him just makes me not like him. I mean. I don't absolutely hate him, it's just that I don't particularly like him. When we get onto the train, I grab a pastry and go to my room. Ryker goes in the other direction.

I watch the recap of the reapings on the TV in my room. A 15 year old blonde girl named Victorya from district 1 reminds me of Glimmer. I already can't stand her. The boy from district 1 is 15 also. He has light brown hair. His name is Callix. I figured out that Ryker is 16. From district 3, there's a 16 year old girl named Pexey and a 16 year old boy named Cayble. The girl from district four is 14 and named Rayne. The boy from 4 is 15 and named Tyde. From 5, the 17 year old girl is named Vyda, and the 17 year old boy is named Sparx. District 6 has two 16 year olds named Kyva and Remus. In district 7, a 18 girl named Aspyn was reaped along with a 14 year old bow named Rowan. District 8 had two scared looking 17 year olds, Twyla and Flax. District 9 tributes were a 16 year old girl named Omri and a 17 year old boy named Mylo. 10 had a pretty little 14 year old girl named Mynk and a 18 year old boy named Tallon. District 11 had two 16 year olds named Peara and Sirco. Finally poor district 12 provided a weak 15 year old girl named Misti and a scrawny 14 year old boy named Hilt.

Not bad. I had plenty of time to figure out my strategies with my mentor. I was going to train separately from Ryker. It was almost time for dinner and almost time to meet our mentor. I took off my dress- Clove's dress and neatly hung it up in the closet. I put on a pair of yoga pants and a tight tank top and went out to meet Ryker, Aurelia, and my mentor for dinner. The food was so good. I ate as much as I could. It would be helpful to eat a lot before I went into the arena in three weeks.

My mentor's name is Ashlar. She won the 69th Hunger Games. She looks familiar. I know her from somewhere. I just couldn't put my finger on it. "You look like your sister, Phoenix." She said, interrupting my thoughts.

"You knew her?" I asked.

"I trained her for many years in District 2." That's where I knew her from. She was Clove's trainer. Makes sense. "You throw knives, too? I hear you're pretty good. Your sister talked about you a lot."

"I'm OK." I replied with a smirk.

"OK. Sounds good" Ashlar said. "What about you Ryker? Anything you're any good at?"

"Oh! I can do anything with a spear!" Ryker replied arrogantly.

"Anything?" Ashlar asked raising her eyebrows.

"Anything!" Ryker assured her.

"OK. Now would you like to train together or separately?"

"Separately." I said at once

"What do you think Ryker?" Ashlar asked.

"Separately." Ryker said.

"OK. Great. I'll work with Phoenix for the first half of each day, and Ryker the second half. Sound good?"

"OK. Sounds good." I said

"Yep" Ryker said.

"Good. We'll get to the capitol tomorrow morning. Tomorrow evening is the tribute parade? That means that all day tomorrow, you will be with your stylists. The next day, we start training."

Our dinner plates were taken ayaw by avoxes. I went to my room and laid on my bed. A few minuted later, Ashlar knocked on my door. "Can I come in, Phoenix?" She asked.

"Sure." I said. She walked in and I sat up. She sat down next to me.

"You volunteered for Clove, didn't you?" Ashlar asked. I nodded. "Clove was so strong like you. She should have won with Cato. They were so in love. Does Cato miss her a lot?"

"Yeah. And he drinks his way out of his problems. I have to keep him in line."

"Listen, Phoenix. I know you're strong and very capable of winning this. I will do everything I can to get you out alive. People are going to think that you're just a weak little 12 year old, but you're not. You're stronger that they are, no matter what their age is. You can win. I know you will." I look up at her and smile.

"I will." I assure her. "For Clove!"


	8. Back At Home

**Silver's POV**

A million different questions run through my head as I walk to Cato's house. I can't believe Phoenix did that! The stupid Peacekeepers wouldn't even let me go in to say good bye to her! What is wrong with them?! What is wrong with Phoenix?! My eyes start to tear up. Why didn't she tell me?! What will I do without her?! I'm not saying she's going to die, but she might! I mean, who knows what's going to happen in that arena?! And then a tear rolls down my cheek. Keep it together, Silver! My life is over and so is Phoenix's! Cato's probably already drunk and been crying for the three hours since the reaping. Poor Cato. He just might lose the only person he has left. Well, except for me. Oh come on Silver! Stop being selfish about Cato now! That doesn't matter at the time! Nothing matters except that Phoenix needs to win the 76th Hunger Games!

I get to Cato's doorstep, and I only have to knock once before he twists the doorknob from inside, and opens the door. He looks down at me. "Silver?" He squeaks. His eyes are red, and his cheeks are, too. He's been crying for a while now, I assume. He holds his arms out, and I don't hesitate to run into his open arms. Then, I can't contain myself anymore. I start crying. It's not long before I'm bawling in Cato's arms. He closes the door. Cato turns around, picks me up, and carries me to the couch. We sit in silence minus the sound of my sobs. He turns the TV on, but keeps the volume low. They're playing the recap of today's reapings from all across Panem. I see a wide range of emotions on the kids faces as they are reaped into the arena of death known as the 76th Hunger Games. There's the pride and excitement. Fear and nervousness. Desperation and shock.

"Did she ever tell you?" Cato asks, breaking the quietness.

"Tell me what?" I ask between sobs.

"That she was going to volunteer."

"No. I didn't know until I saw her up on the stage." I gasp out "What was she thinking?"

"I don't know." He says.

"The stupid Peacekeepers didn't even let me say Goodbye. They said I wasn't family, and therefore wasn't allowed in. I never knew that our little conversation this morning might have been our last." I start to cry again.

"I didn't really even say goodbye. I just yelled at her for volunteering. And she yelled back at me. I'm such an asshole. I should have just said goodbye. Now the last memory I have with her is yelling at her." He says, crying.

"It's ok. She loves you. I know that for a fact. The fact that you yell at each other all the time doesn't mean she doesn't love you. You're like her big brother. Clove was like that too. You guys had your arguments, but that didn't mean that you didn't still love each other. We don't know what's going to happen in that arena." I say, curling up next to Cato.

"All I know is that if I lose her, I have nothing left. She was a little piece of Clove I had left. A little piece of family. Now I have no one." A tear rolls down his cheek.

"It'll be ok. I promise. I'll be here for you. I know it's hard. I'll miss her, too. But we'll be in it together. Ok?" I reassure Cato. "We can't think like that. Phoenix is strong and smart and fast. She's so much better than those other tributes. She'll be fine. We have to believe in her."

"Ok."

"Cato, promise me that you won't get drunk like you did after Clove died. Phoenix wouldn't want you to do that."

"I promise." Cato turns uo the volume on the tv. We watch the clips of previous Hunger Games. They went all the way back to the 4th Hunger Games when a girl from district 6 won. They showed Clove and I had to comfort Cato. "What if Phoenix dies like Clove?"

"Don't worry. She'll be back." I say. And I know she will.


	9. The Tribute Parade

**Phoenix POV**

We arrive at the Capitol about 9:00 in the morning. There are tons of people packed together to get a glimpse of us. Of coarse, I don't know if I would call them people. They are so colorful, oddly dressed, so willing to send children to death, and utterly inhuman that I wouldn't count them as people. Every one's waving at me, so naturally, I smirk and wave back. Good. I'm already winning these people over. On the other hand, Ryker is too busy eating breakfast to notice. I'm getting ahead of him. That's great. Any little edge I can get is good, because it could be the difference between life and death. I rather go with life, so I keep waving. A normal, nice person would tell him to come over and wave with her, but I'm not a normal and mice person, so I don't tell him.

The train parks at the Capitol Station, and Aurelia guides us off. I wave and smirk at everyone. They love me. "Phoenix! Phoenix!" I hear them call. I keep waving. Ryker on the other hand is just halfheartedly waving, and barely smiling. Oh well. Sucks for him. We go inside the Tribute Center, and Aurelia takes us each to our stylists. My stylist's name is Hestia. The prep team hoses me down, and pulled off all my leg and arm hair. They wash my hair with some sort of special shampoo that had a bit of glitter in it, so when they rinsed and dried it, it still had sporadic sparkle. They did really good makeup. My eyes looked fierce because of the sharp angled black eyeliner with blue, yellow and red accents. They put on bright red lipstick and black-ish silver eye shadow. My hair curled, and was pulled over my shoulder and twisted into a very loose side ponytail. Finally, Hestia revealed my dress. It was beautiful. It was a tight grey leotard top part with a cute sharp angled off the shoulder feature. The skirt part of the dress was red, blue, and yellow streams of tulle with rhinestones at the end of each one that light up with small bits of (fake) fire. My shoes are grey shimmery knee-high boots with 3 inch heels. I stood up and turned around to face Hestia. "You look simply beautiful, darling!" Hestia pipped.

"Thank you!" I replied. "I absolutely love it!"

"Well let's take you out to the Chariot now shall we? Don't want to be late no do we?" Hestia said. She guided me out to my chariot. Ryker was waiting. He had on black pants and a grey coat whose buttons were rhinestones that matched my dress. He also had on grey boots.

"You look nice, fierce one." Ryker said with a smile. Oh my god! He speaks! Didn't know he could talk. Was I really that scary?

"You don't look so bad yourself." I replied back with a smirk.

I look around at all the flashy outfits other tributes are wearing. The district 1 tributes are wearing gold Greek God and Goddess inspired outfits with colorful rhinestones adorning the hems. District 3 tributes are wearing green, grey, red, and blue wires all over it. The district 4 girl is wearing a tan high-low dress with a shell top, and coral shaped shoes. The boy is wearing a tan bottom that's pretty much underwear, and red boots. The tributes from district 5 wear a dress and top with pants that have live electric springs all over them. District 6 tributes wear outfits with green rectangles, yellow triangles, and red hexagons to represent road signs. The tributes from district 7 wear bark patterned bottoms with red and black flannel tops. Tributes from 8 wear a grey leotard and underwear for a base with cloaks of colorful fabrics of all kinds. The district 9 tributes look kind of like Native Americans with bottoms made of grain and war paint on their faces. The district 10 tributes are wearing brown leggings with leopard print leotards, and a sheer skirt for the girl and a coat for the boy. The district 11 girl has on a sweet flower dress, while the boy has on yellow harem pants, and a red coat. Finally, the district 12 tributes are wearing some black coal miner leotards with specs of coal on their legs. Cool outfits all around, but I love mine a lot.

Ryker and I step up onto out chariots. "Ready?" asks Aurelia. We both nod. "Remember to wave and smile! The crowd is going to love you!" The chariot jolted forward, and in about a minute, all of Panem's eyes were on me-on us! I waved an blew some kisses to the audience, all with my signature smirk. I saw a sign that said "Do it for Clove!" Wow! They really loved me! I was so getting sponsors right now. Also, I was so young and innocent that everyone would want to help me. Our chariot stops at the end of the road in the semi circle around the giant platform stage President Snow stood on.

"Welcome!" he said, "To the 76th Hunger Games!" His voice boomed over the hall. " I would like to congratulate all your courage! Happy Hunger Games! And! May the odds be ever in your favor!"

**Author's Note**

Thank you guys so much for reading and sticking with my crazy schedule. Here is a link to drawings of the each district's chariot outfits.

district_chariot_outfits/collection?id=3450462


	10. Welcome to the Capitol

**Phoenix POV**

We went to the elevator that took us up to our rooms. Each district has their own floor, by district. That put us on the second floor. "That was awesome." Ashlar said. "You guys looked amazing."

"Oh, yes!" Aurelia pipped back. "The stylists do such a great job every year with all the districts. Of course, district 2 is always the best." Aurelia laughed. We walked into our living room. It was huge. A big round glass table was in the middle. It had a huge and very intricate chandelier hanging over it made of blue tinted glass. There were odd looking blue chairs around the table. Five of them for the five of us. Over to the left, there was a big curved, sleek looking white sofa. In front of the sofa was a huge TV. Bigger than even the ones in the Victor's Village back at home in district 2. "Well, come sit down, dearies." Aurelia said "Dinner will be here soon."

"This is huge!" I said. I was amazed at the size of even the table. Imagine how big the bedrooms will be! Avoxes dresses in all white brought our food. There was so much. Even more than on the train here. A giant ham with some sort of exotic filling, some odd looking, but very good fruit, some great dessert, and a whole bunch of other unidentified, but very good tasting foods. I ate everything my stomach could hold down.

"Yeah! This is amazing! So is the food!" Ryker replied. He was right. The place was amazing. I mean, we're from district 2, so we're already used to luxuries, but nothing compared to the wonderful luxuries of The Capitol. I can't even imagine how the outlier districts like poor, desperate district 11 must feel to have luxuries like this. Not that they deserve any luxuries. Thresh killed Clove. Therefore I HATE district 11. The same way that Clove HATED Katniss, because she got a higher training scored, and therefore hated 12 in general. When I get into that arena, district 11 will be the first to go. Speaking of the arena, I wonder what it will be like this year. For Clove's games, it was a forest. For the Quarter Quell last year, it was a tropical rain forest/ beach. The special Quarter Quell thing was that the arena was a clock with a new threat each hour. Plus, They only reaped kids between ages 12 and 14. Who knows what will happen this year?

"Phoenix?" Aurelia asked.

"What? Sorry. I wasn't listening." I replied

"I said are you done with your dinner?"

"Oh. Yeah." Just as soon as I said that, the Avoxes came over and cleared our plates and the extra food away. You have to wonder what each of them did to become an Avox? I'm glad I don't have to get my tongue cut out. I just have to kill my way out of an arena full of kids who are all at least a year older than me. Sounds easy, right. Well, it's not. I already know that. Anyone who thinks this is going to be easy, and goes in there with complete arrogance, is a complete and total freaking idiot. I hate people like that. Like Glimmer. That bitch. She was all like "OMG! I'm like totally going to win The Hunger Games. Haha. I mean, it's like, not even that hard." Then see where that got her. The Capitol loves you, but the rest of the whole world hates you with all their might. Like, yours truly. Then she dies because she's too helpless to get up. Ha.

Dinner was over, and we headed to our rooms for the night. I slipped on some soft p.j. pants and a tank top, and crawled into bed. I tried to fall asleep, but I couldn't . This was the time I had to myself. no one was watching me here. This was the time I could admit that I was worried. I mean, I'm only 12. The youngest one going in there. I'm worried that I'll die trying to avenge my sister who died. I'm worried about Cato and Silver at home. How are they holding up? I miss my sister, and I'm worried. I'm scared. No one knows it, because I don't show it. I show it to no one. Not even myself. Now is the one time I can show it. So I show it. I cry. And cry. And cry. I cry myself to sleep. Just this one time. Just until morning, when everything starts. Training starts tomorrow.


End file.
